Undertale: Reparation
by Ohyoupokedme
Summary: Monsters have finally returned to the surface, and it seems the humans, who have almost all forgotten about the monster's existence, are willing to accept the peace offering. But tensions rise as humans begin to go missing, and the humans are convinced that the recent return of monsters have something to do with it. (Rated T for some disturbing sequences)
1. The Dreaming One and the Copy Cat

**Prologue  
**

 **The Dreaming One and the Copy Cat**

A black mushroom creature wiggled his arms around. This creature was attempting his own version of the Mushroom Dance, a traditional dance of mushroom monsters. There was only a few big differences: This mushroom creature was floating, not stationary in the ground like most plant monsters. It had a third arm on the bottom part of its body, which was long like a noodle but had a large hand on the end. It made the creature's appendages look almost surrealistic, and disproportionate. He had no firmness or strength behind his arms, so his arms only moved when he moved his hands or wiggled a bit at his will. He was about four feet tall from ground up, and he had one stalking eyeball. His chest had a cage around it, which resembled that of a human rib cage. It was protective. He wasn't sure why he had it, but that's just the way he was grown. He had Dr. Alphys to thank for it, though. She was the one who grew him from a modified mushroom seed.

Though often times, he would have preferred death to life, and it was during those frequent times that Somnium wanted to kill Alphys.

" **Sø, høw am I døing at it?** " Somnium asked the other mushroom in front of him. The mushroom had a blue cap and a white body, but was fixed into the ground unlike Somnium. " _I'm proud at how you're doing. You could pass as a normal mushroom in no time!_ "

Somnium had no mouth to express his glee, but his eye seemed to shine in happiness. " _You aren't done yet, though. The Mushroom Dance is incomplete without the meaning behind it. Tell me your strongest emotion right now._ "

Somnium paused a moment… " **Hatred. I feel hate.** "

" _Go on…_ "

" **My entire being burns with øne desire ønly. The desire tø kill my creatør. Nøthing will make me whøle again. Nøthing can save me… ønly HER death can satisfy. My mutant flesh aches før revenge; vengeance før the hørrible life I've been given. My purpøse is washed clean, and as øf nøw I am meaningless. My ønly møtivatiøn is her death. I will bury her alive in the ashes øf her friends, and it will be a mercy cømpared tø what I plan tø dø tø her. After that, I can die in peace.** "

" _Very good. Your feelings are strong. But don't worry Somnium, you can still live a life._ "

" **I am destined tø remain like this. Nø monster can løve me after what I've døne. Nø human can bear my ugliness. A life withøut løve.** "

" _You're a weird monster, Somnium. You can feel, which is very unlike me._ "

Somnium closed his eye, " **I døn't knøw høw sømething søulless like me can feel. I just dø. Maybe I actually dø have a søul. But then, why was I made?** "

The mushroom began to shrivel, then it began to change shape. It morphed into a Froggit. " _Ribbit Ribbit… (Because you were made to pass the soul barrier. But you never were put near the barrier. You were relieved from duty before you were tested. So, if you do have a soul, then it doesn't make sense to use you to get past a barrier made from soul power.)_ "

" **I døn't knøw, Klōn… I just døn't knøw.** "

Klōn smiled, which looked mischievous on the Froggit, " _Ribbit Ribbit… (At least you can feel.)_ " Klōn then frowned and his eye began to twitch involuntarily.

" **Are yøu økay?** " Somnium asked.

" _Ribbit… (Yeah. I'm fine.)_ " Klōn smiled again, as though his previous expression had never occurred.

A door opened up behind Somnium, and a cold chill washed over his back. Somnium turned and saw a black figure standing in the doorway. Pure black, but humanoid in shape. It had no features at all, except for two small cylinders sticking out of his face, which resembled eyes, and a slightly larger rectangular object which looked like a speaker for his mouth. His head looked like a stub, his legs were smooth all around, arms smooth all around, and body smooth without any roughness to it. On the end of his stubby arms were robotic hands, which looked like they were glued to a metal bowl and put around the stub of the arm. It was as though his hand was cut off, then replaced with a mechanical one. The being stood at the doorway, arms crossed.

"What are you two doing here?" the voice was deep and sounded as though it was coming through a voice changer; garbled and unrecognizable as a voice.

" **I'm sørry Fel. We knøw we aren't alløwed in here.** "

Fel approached them. Every step was silent… completely silent. Like if you turned on a movie and watched someone walk while its muted. Everytime Fel walked... it was eerie how silent it was, it felt unnatural. "I told you two that I was going to surprise you."

Klōn sighed, turning into Napstablook, " _We know…. We were just so curious….. sorry, I'll leave now…_ " Klōn disappeared and reappeared behind Fel. Klōn then transformed into Aaron as quickly as he appeared and yelled, " _THINK FAST! ;)_ "

Klōn raised a fist for a punch, but before he could swing Fel grabbed the hand and clenched it tight. " _Ah! Ah! Okay okay okay! You win! ;)_ "

Fel loosened his grip, "You know I'm stronger than you. That is why this…" Fel let go of Klōn's hand, "Is going to be your new personal training room."

Klōn rolled his eyes " _Pfft! I don't need any training. The only reason I don't defeat you is because it wouldn't be as fun. ;)_ "

" **Are yøu gøing tø teach me høw tø fight better, Fel?** "

Fel turned to Somnium. "Yes, Somnium. I will teach you how to use your powers more strategically."

" **When will we set øff før øur first assignment? I'm sø excited!** "

"At ease, child. I haven't decided on a suitable assignment for you two yet. I am looking into it."

Somnium's eye looked down, ashamed, " **I'm sørry før my excitement, Fel.** "

Fel looked at Somnium with his emotionless eyes. Fel was a Minimus, and Somnium understood that. They were originally created by the scientist prior to Alphys. They were the perfect representation of nothingness; they are originally made of only one nameless material, which was the skin and fluid within. A lump of material which served no purpose. They are conscious in that state, of course, but the only thing that makes them thinking and functional creatures were the modifications and attachments. The cylinders that represented Fel's eyes were in fact, his eyes. The triangular object on the mouth area was his only voice. The robotic hands, his only way to grasp, and the tube running from the head to the spine created his thought processes. A horrible life it must be to be spawned as a Minimus. His only way to express himself is through actions, and his actions toward Somnium has been nothing but kindness.

"It's okay Somnium. It amuses me to see you with such eagerness." Fel, without another word, silently walked out of the room.

Klōn looked at Somnium, and Somnium glared at Klōn " **Yøu actually think yøu can beat Fel?** "

Klōn laughed, " _If I really tried, I could put up a fight. But beat him? That's pretty laughable. ;)_ "

" **Fel said he was amused by my eagerness. Was that meant as a cømpliment?** "

" _Fel doesn't have a soul. He couldn't use happy, because he can't feel happiness. He couldn't use love either, because love is also beyond his comprehension. So he used the next best thing. ;)_ "

Somnium looked down sadly.

" _Hey, don't feel down. It isn't his fault. He is trying, and he will likely keep trying. But trying to feel love without previous knowledge of it… Is impossible! He was created soulless. Think of him like an insect that can think. ;)_ "

" **Have yøu ever felt løve?** "

Klōn grinned, " _Having the ability to turn into any monster has its own… benefits. ;)_ "


	2. Subconciousness Is Fun

**Chapter One**

 **Subconsciousness Is Fun, Especially With Demons And Other Weird Stuff**

Sans stood at the dark doorway. It was night outside Frisk's window, and the stars could barely be seen in the sky with the winter clouds pouring snow. It was a light pour, and the snow lay gently on the window as the glass gathered frost. He took a moment to smile… funny how much it reminded him of Snowdin, even though snow wasn't really a rarity on the surface. Probably nostalgia speaking to him. The Underground was very claustrophobic, but places like Snowdin were peaceful and quiet, full of monsters who accepted bad puns on a regular basis. It was one of those things that helped you forget about the Underground. It was home to Sans… but he knew he was happier up here.

Sans glared at Frisk, who was sleeping on the bed. "why haven't you reset yet, kid?" Sans whispered to himself. He walked over to the lamp next to the window and clicked it on. Frisk shifted a bit. "hey, frisk."

Frisk sighed and said in a rather irritated fashion, "Whaaaat? It's one o'clock Sans…"

"i know, kid… i know…"

"What do you want?" Frisk rubbed their eyes. Sans sighed, "you know what i gotta do."

"I thought we were doing this once a week…"

"well, i changed my mind." Sans stated, "we're doing it every other night now." Frisk's eyes lowered, "You sure that's a good idea…?"

Sans approached Frisk's bed, "is it a good idea? not at all. but it's what we've got to work with. every week just isn't cutting it."

Frisk looked worried, "Nothing good will come out of this Sans. I don't want you to overstep your boundaries."

Sans shook his head, "frisk, no offense, but i know my limits. i'll be fine."

Frisk nodded… "Alright Sans… I just don't want you getting hurt."

"hey, don't worry about ol' sansie. i've been through worse."

Frisk then hugged Sans, "I know…"

Sans' heart sank. Smooth one, Sans… Smooth one… "sorry. i didn't mean…"

"I know… Let's just get this done."

Sans nodded and sat next to Frisk, then put his skeletal hand on their head. "hey frisk…" Sans said. Frisk looked at Sans and he winked at them, "don't lose your head over this." His eyes went dark, and so did his vision.

He then popped back into existence almost as soon as he exited it. His vision returned and he was suddenly flying… flying across space and time. He stood on a platform, which was shooting past planets and stars and galaxies at supernatural speed, but he remained on the platform as though they were completely still. It was disorienting, but it was always this way in Frisk's consciousness. After a few months of doing this, he was used to it by now. He wasn't mastered in exorcism, but he had been learning for the sake of freeing Frisk. There are multiple ways to approach an exorcism; one was the traditional way, but it was usually a long and grueling process, and loud. Sans didn't want to involve anyone else in this, so he decided to take the more indirect approach. It involved magic, and through this magic Sans is able to go into Frisk's consciousness and exorcise them from within. Sans is able to enter into Frisk's mind so long as Frisk willingly allows him inside. Then the exorcism begins.

Sans has been trying for a long while to cast out the demon within Frisk, but it was more difficult than he originally thought. This one was powerful, far more powerful than he had ever known. The power… it was familiar to him, but he couldn't put his finger on it.

In order to exorcise a demon from within, one must fight the demon, either till it is defeated or until it is exhausted. Die in the process, and Sans would immediately be blinked back into his body.

Sans stood up on the platform. He looked across the space that was flying past him. Frisk had been teaching Papyrus about the stars and planets. Maybe that is what Frisk was thinking about at the moment…

The platform before Sans began to stretch unnaturally in front of him. The platform looked almost like a rubber band being stretched before it is flung at someone. It kept going and going, until Sans saw a figure at the end of the platform when the stretching stopped. The platform by now stretched far away, and the figure was barely noticeable. Sans' teeth began to chatter and his breath could be seen in the freezing air. That was it. The demon was waiting for him. Sans was shivering, but he took a deep breath and put his hands in his hoodie pockets. He looked at the figure. It was merely a speck in the distance, but Sans could feel its presence from here. The zooming galaxies began to slow and the scene faded to black. Even the platform disappeared in the dark. Sans couldn't see the figure anymore, which caused him to panic a bit. He looked left, right, behind him… It was pitch black. He took a breath and closed his eyes a moment, then opened them, his left eye now bursting with blue flames. Sans raised his hand and several bones materialized around him and spun.

"come out, come out, wherever you are…" Sans sung quietly into the darkness. Sans crept a step forward, then another, one foot at a time. It was eerily silent except for the sounds of Sans' shaky breath. The bones began to float rather than spin, waiting for something to happen. He felt it out there… Somewhere. Sans couldn't pinpoint where it is… but there was an aura this thing left in its wake. Sans continued breathing, but as he focused, he heard his breathing was rather abnormal… it seemed more drawn out… no, that wasn't it. It was like he was breathing in layers. Then he held his breath. There was still breathing.

Sans twirled around to meet the gaze of two red eyes. They glowed in the darkness, staring at Sans.

Sans had little time to react; he launched the bones surrounding him at the figure. Before the bones could make their mark, they were slashed in half, split horizontally, then flung behind the thing. It was so quick, but Sans knew how to dodge it after months of practice; it was dark, but he predicted the next move to be a downward slash. Sans sidestepped to his right, and a knife went WHOOSH. He had predicted correctly.

Next was going to be a side slash in his direction in frustration. Likely toward his head. Sans ducked down and another WHOOSH went past his head, then he stood, staring at the evil eyes for a moment. Now, a slash at his face again, this time the other direction going with the momentum of his previous swing. Sans ducked once more and the swing went over again. Sans took the opportunity to summon a Gasterblaster while it was in mid swing. The Gasterblaster floated over his ducked head and shot a beam of magical energy at the demon. It flew across the expanse far away.

Sans took a deep breath. He knew he had to play very offensively. He can't give him the opportunity to overwhelm him. The scene began to shift again, the darkness began melting away like ice cream in a microwave. As the curtain of black faded, the expanse seemed to fill with a strange yellowish fog. Dirt covered the ground and hills began to form. It was an empty field of dirt, and in the sky Sans could barely make out large eyeballs of various colors staring directly at Sans. He shivered at the sight of them, but he's been through more surreal things in these scenarios before. Sans extended his arms and summoned a series of bones, which formed a circle just hovering above his hands. The bones spun quickly and created something like a bone buzzsaw. He would use this for close encounters.

Sans glared across the landscape. The demon would surprise him again, he was sure of it. The sound of the landscape was windy, though only lightly. The sound of his spinning bones was overpowering it, which made a noise similar to a fan. However, the wind began to pick up, which turned from a distant wind to a deafening and chaotic storm in almost an instant. Sans covered his eysockets from the dirt and dust. The ground from under him began to shake and rise up. Sans lost his balance and tripped. The ground continued to shake and rumble, the earth making a horrific moaning noise as it did so, like the ground was in pain. Sans closed his eyes and put his hands over his head, kneeling on the ground wishing the noise would stop. Eventually it did, and Sans decided it was time to look up. He was on a very narrow hill, so narrow it almost pointed straight up vertically. The hill was long, and the tip he resided on was in space, above the supposed world. He could see the foggy yellow clouds from where he stood. Surrounding him and floating about in the short distance were the giant eyeballs, looking at him for no particular reason. The eyes seemed to all turn a glowing blue color, just like his own eye was right now. A flash of light in front of him made him blink in confusion. Suddenly, the demon stood before Sans. It put a finger up and pushed heavily on Sans' forehead before he could even react. He was in space, but despite that he fell off the hill and toward the plagued earth below. Sans tried his best to maintain his composure as he fell, but he looked at the vertical hill as he was falling and saw the demon running down alongside it, despite it being far too steep to even crawl up of. It was sprinting about the same rate as he was falling, and the demon leapt from the hill and clung onto Sans' blue hoodie. The demon raised his blade and went for a stab, but Sans stopped it and grabbed its wrist as it was coming down. The wind was rushing and made a deafening sound, which drowned up the demon's cursing at Sans. They spun around while they struggled, but Sans kept his grip on the demon. His eye turned blue and energy began to emit from it, but the demon's eyes turned red at that same moment.

Sans felt a horrible pain on his hand. He screamed and looked to see that his hand was no longer grasping the demon's arm; instead, it was being shredded by spinning blades which replaced the part of the arm he was grasping. Bits of his hand flew everywhere, and the demon's blade plunged right into Sans' glowing eye. The pain was unbearable, and Sans could no longer scream from hurt, and as sparks flew out of his stabbed eye, he felt himself slipping away. The demon spun Sans around, and with the ground only feet away, slams the hilt of the knife into the earth, digging the blade further into Sans eye socket.

…

Sans blinked back into reality, his right hand leaving Frisk's head and putting it over his left eye. He wiggled his bony fingers around to make sure they're still there. "Sans!" Frisk gasped, "Are you okay?"

"i'm fine… i'm fine…" Sans kept blinking his eyes and wiggling his left fingers. He still hadn't gotten used to the feeling of dying in someone else's consciousness.

"Let me go get you some water…" Frisk started to get up, but Sans stopped them, "no, i'm fine. i'll get it myself. i don't want to disturb anyone with this."

"Sans, you can't do this alone. We need help to…"

"no. i don't want anyone else to have to go through this. understand? i don't want this for tori, papyrus, alphys, even undyne and asgore." Sans paused, then continued, "it's horrible, dying again and again… every week i get to look forward to my own simulated death. nobody else deserves that, and i certainly won't let them do that to themselves. i need to do it on my own."

Frisk looked down, saddened by Sans choice. Sans put a hand on theirs and said quietly, "i will beat it. i promise."

Sans patted Frisk's head and got up to leave for his room, he took a glimpse outside and watched the snow fall quietly on the window for a moment. Tomorrow is a new day.


	3. The Embassy

**Chapter Two**

 **The Embassy (Our King is bad at chapter names)**

Asgore and Frisk were being escorted by an agent in a suit. The man intimidated Frisk greatly, it seemed, so Frisk stayed close to Asgore until they got to where they were proceeding to. The Embassy has been having an amplified sense of security since last time Asgore and Frisk were here, and this made Asgore curious and worried at the same time. The suited man stopped at a large doorway and opened it for Asgore. Asgore walked in, having to lower his head as he walked through the door, and Frisk followed close behind him. The room was very cozy, with a fireplace roaring in the midst of several seats placed a few feet away. A man holding a glass of wine stood near the fireplace. His hair was long and combed back, though it was turning gray toward the edges of his black hair. He too wore a suit, though it was gray instead of black. He turned to face Asgore, and Asgore recognized the handlebar mustache; it was the mayor of Ebbot City. "Mr. Mayor?" Asgore asked, still a little shocked,

"I wasn't expecting you. I thought the human ambassador-"

The Mayor cut him off, "I needed to see you first before you speak to the ambassador." The Mayor looked at Frisk, who was still cowering behind Asgore. It took Asgore a moment to realize that they never met The Mayor before.

"Ah, Mr. Mayor, this is Frisk."

"Ah, Frisk." The Mayor set his glass of wine on a small table next to a chair, "It is nice to finally meet the monster ambassador. Please, come and have a seat. We need to discuss business."

Frisk and Asgore quietly stepped inside and shut the door behind them. Frisk took a seat in one of the chairs and Asgore plumped into the other. The chair creaked a bit as Asgore's weight sunk into the fabric. Frisk was half afraid that it would fall apart right under him.

"Some wine, Asgore?" The Mayor asked.

"I am fine, though tea would be nice. What is this about?"

"I need to talk to you about some occurrences that have been happening a while. You are aware the ignorance of the humans when you first stepped foot out of the Underground?"

Asgore nodded gravely, "Yes. I recall. We have been underground for so long… I had thought the humans would be angry and kill all of us as soon as we reached the surface. But I had never thought they would forget about our entire existence."

The Mayor brought over a cup of tea he had ready on a nearby desk and handed it to Asgore, who took it graciously,

"Yes, that is the Human Government's doing. Ebenezer, the Last Magician, is dying at the ripe young age of…" The Mayor thought for a moment, "I've seem to have forgotten… He must be several hundred years old at this point... In any case, Ebenezer wished the monster's to be forgotten about. I am good friends with him, and he says that the decision to make future generations ignorant of monsters was one of his biggest regrets, next to sealing you underground in the first place. But the Government destroyed all documentation and history of their existence, and let time do the rest."

"I see. But I'm sure you aren't here for a history lesson."

"No. I am here for your help." The Mayor sat down in the chair across from Asgore and Frisk, bringing the glass of wine to his lips and holding it in his hand, "There have been disappearances in Ebbot City. Not just the seven children who climbed Mt. Ebbot. I mean killings. Mass murder. In fact, there seems to be a connection between the monster's return and these recent killings. Of course, when this gets out, the humans will be calling for your head, Asgore. I've made a deal with the Ebbot City Police Department. The findings will be hidden from the public for a while, but I can't keep them off forever."

"What are these findings?" Asgore asked. Frisk kept staring at The Mayor. "I can't release what we have found in detail, not even to you." The Mayor replied, "But I can say that if it does get into the hands of the press, the public and the Human Government won't be happy. I don't think you want to see another war on your hands, Asgore. And this time, there won't be magicians to save you now. Magic has died off in humanity. They'll put you in a firing line instead."

Asgore's mood darkened, "What do I need to do?"

"We know there are monsters at fault for this, but I don't think you had anything to do with it despite the evidence against you. I need you and whomever helps to find out what menace has been doing this, and bring his, her, or their operations to light before the evidence is required to be released."

Asgore nodded, "I think I can manage that."

The Mayor smiled, "Good. Then I will be seeing you." The Mayor took one last sip of wine and stood from his seat. "Oh, and by the way, I lied about the ambassador. He isn't coming today. So you can leave whenever you feel like it." The Mayor walked out of the room, leaving Asgore, Frisk, and the dimming fireplace.


	4. Home Is Where The Heart Is Broken

**Chapter Three**

 **Home Is Where The Heart Is Broken**

Asgore was driving and Frisk sat in the back seat of the minivan. Frisk stared out the window as they passed down highways and skyscrapers. With traffic the way it was, it took a whole hour for them to get home. Frisk saw that Asgore was uncomfortable the whole drive. They could sense it in Asgore, but they never confronted him about it. Frisk figured that Asgore has always been uncomfortable around them ever sense he tried to kill them in the Underground, but Frisk never held it against him. Maybe if they made that clear to him…

"You don't have to be uncomfortable," Frisk said to Asgore, "I forgive you for trying to kill me."

Asgore's expression stiffened. "Well… that is certainly an interesting way to begin a conversation." Asgore closed his eyes a moment, but then opened them to swerve back on the street so they wouldn't crash into the nearby mailbox. After regaining composure, Asgore replied, "I… I appreciate that, Frisk."

Frisk nodded and looked out into the now suburban neighborhood they were entering. As the rule is with every human suburban neighborhood, every single house looked the same. Asgore and Toriel were both shocked to see that humanity had such boring choices for exterior design. Monster houses were way more awesome. No house really looked the same, and since the population of monsters were reduced so greatly after the War of Humans and Monsters (known by humans as "The Great Victory" or to more pessimistic human types, "The Monster Genocide"), monsters could spare more resources. Because of this, monsters could construct the weirdest, coolest buildings that could be recognized from a personal level on the outside as much as the inside.

Frisk kept staring at the monotonous architecture until they came across a house… there, in the middle of the dullness, a house… one house… one special house…

On the garage door, there was a smiley face painted on it. Asgore asked Toriel at one point if she wanted the house to have a happier tone to it. Either Asgore took that literally or he was in on it with Sans (Though Asgore and Sans have an awkward relationship)… but Toriel learned to manage and eventually grew to like it. The color of the house was different from the rest. Instead of a plain white design, the house had a lighter red tint to it. Christmas lights were hung (and in some cases, dangling) on the roof. Asgore also did this, but Papyrus liked the bright colors so much that Asgore decided to keep them up all year. The window on the porch next to the front door had cement bricks covering it. Whenever Undyne visits the house, she likes to burst through the window and do a combat roll. Sometimes Sans would yell "Do a barrel roll!" when she fractured the window, but she wasn't sure what he meant by that. Toriel hates it, but Asgore finds it amusing. Despite that, Toriel told Asgore to do something about it because, "The breaking of these windows are costing us so much money!"

Asgore started by replacing the window and putting wooden planks over it.

Now he's moved on to bricks. Asgore almost made it into a thing now, because Undyne likes to see if she can break through every time.

Asgore parked in the driveway behind Papyrus's red car. Asgore sighed, "Sans…" then stepped out of the car. Frisk followed, and it opened to the weird weather of Mount Ebbot. Due to the amount of magic needed for the Soul Barrier, the Seven Magicians took natural magic from the area and used it to create the Barrier. Thus, the weather in the area was irregular. On some days, it would snow in the middle of summer, and on other days, it would be ninety degrees in the middle of winter. At least, that is what they tell you. Asgore and The Mayor are casual friends, but The Mayor tells Asgore that the weather is due to the Last Magician, Ebenezer, changing it to what he wills. Firsk never knew what theory they would go with, so they put it in the back of their mind. Frisk opened the door to this abnormal weather. The ground was still wet from the snow last night, but Frisk was overwhelmed with the sound of birds and the smell of flowers.

Flowers… Frisk shivered a bit.

Asgore seemed to be staring at the red car. Frisk wondered what he was looking at, but then Frisk saw; Sans was lying inside the red car, sleeping.

Asgore yelled out, "SAAAAAAANS!"

Sans was awoken, startled. "huh!? oh... heya asgore."

"What are you doing in there?"

"i'm… sleeping. why are you watching me while I sleep, dreemurr?"

"What? Because… I wasn't… I don't…!" Asgore sighed, "Get out. Tori could need help around the house."

"i already asked her. she said she'd take care of it."

Correction: Sans and Asgore's relationship wasn't awkward. It was more… hostile.

Asgore put a hand over his face, "You mean you are letting her do everything herself? You know, being lazy may just simply be a character trait of yours, but this is simply disrespectful."

"whaddya mean? i asked if she needed help, she said no, so i went to sleep."

Asgore took a breath, then smiled at Sans, "Sans… I'm sure she can use your help with something…"

"dreemurr, you don't gotta be nice to me."

"Whatever do you mean?"

"i know you've been having anger problems since me and Tori have been growing closer-"

"I HAVE NO-" Asgore grimaced at himself for a split second and smiled "I do not know what you are talking about."

Sans rolled his eyes, "sure thing, dreemurr. say, bit of a crystal ball prediction here, but the longer you hold it in, the more likely you're gonna get someone hurt." Sans leaned up and hopped out of the car without another word, casually walking toward the front door. Asgore looked at Frisk. "Come along now."

"Asgore…?" Frisk asked nervously.

"What is it, Frisk?"

"I think Sans is right. You seem much more… irritated than usual."

Asgore frowned and closed his eyes, "I… have noticed this as well. But I believe Sans simply enjoys vexing me." Asgore continued without saying anything more.

Frisk frowned. Asgore was never a violent monster, and seeing him change overtime like this seems to be hurting Asgore just as much as the people around him. He seemed to be always in conflict, always stressed, always under pressure. The meeting with The Mayor today didn't help things. In fact, Asgore seemed more alert than ever after hearing the news. On the way back, he seemed to be so cautious driving around, as though any minute a mass of humans could come and surround the minivan.

Going inside, Frisk and Asgore were greeted by Papyrus almost immediately.

" _HUMAN! YOU'RE HOME! TORIEL, THE KING AND AMBASSADOR HAVE RETURNED!_ "

Frisk smiled, "Hey, Papyrus." Frisk noticed that Papyrus is in his workout cloths, "What are you doing?"

" _I'M ABOUT TO TAKE SANS UP TO THE STORE TO BUY SOME MILK. ITS OUR DAILY TRAINING ROUTINE._ "

Papyrus was holding behind him a pull cart with Sans inside it. Sans was sleeping.

"He is STILL sleeping?" Asgore exclaimed.

" _INDEED. HE'S HAD A LONG DAY, WHICH KNOWING MY BROTHER, IS A MIRACLE!_ "

Sans snored in response.

"Your training involves milk?" Frisk asked with a questionable look on her face.

" _YES! HAVEN'T YOU HEARD? MILK GROWS STRONG BONES! COME ALONG, SANS!"_

Papyrus sprinted off with sleeping Sans rolling behind him. Asgore yelled out into the house, "Tori! We're home!" just in case Papyrus's notification wasn't clear. Frisk and Asgore stepped into the house.

"Asgore! Did you just call me 'Tori'?" Toriel yelled in response from upstairs.

"Yes, Sorry Tori…" Asgore caught himself, "Toriel."

"You know you're not allowed to call me that anymore." Toriel started down the stairs in front of the two with the scent of cooking chicken following her. She was in her cooking clothes; an apron with a heart on it that says "Kiss the Cook", but the 'K' was crossed off and replaced with an L to the side and the words 'dude' under it. She seemed to be using Papyrus' Apron. She had powder (which Frisk assumed to be flour) on her apron and a wooden spoon her her right hand. Toriel descended the last step and smiled at Frisk, "My child! You're home earlier than I expected, I thought you would be home by at least late afternoon." Toriel looked at Asgore, "How did the meeting go? What was it for?"

"It went well. It was not anything too drastic. Just some… Papers and… treaties… and… other diplomatic… Duties."

Toriel turned and looked at Frisk, almost as though for confirmation. Asgore's head poked up from behind her shoulder, shaking his head and making a cutting motion with his hand.

"I did everything I could." Frisk answered. Toriel squinted a bit but switched to a smile, as though the response wasn't satisfying but acceptable. "I'm glad you two figured out whatever you were needed for. Frisk, why don't you go call… Hmm… what was his name?"

"Monster Kid." Frisk replied.

"Is that his…? Well, why don't you use your phone and see if he wants to visit for dinner. Asgore, why don't you come help me in the kitchen?"

"Sure, Toriel. Just let me get changed from my erm… royal attire."

Toriel gave Frisk a quick hug and kiss on the cheek and headed back upstairs. Asgore leaned down to Frisk and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll tell Toriel later today."

"You should have just said so instead of lying…" Frisk pointed out. Asgore paused, "I would have, but… Uhm… Tori scares me." Asgore then rushed to the basement (the stairs left of the entry door next to the garage door) where his room was located.

Frisk took out his CELL and called Monster Kid. The phone made the uninteresting BEEEEEP noise a few times and someone answered.

"Yo, who's there?"

"Hey, it's Frisk. Wondering if you wanna come over for dinner today."

"Hey, that sounds good right now. What's goatmom makin' today?"

"By the smell of it, chicken… probably chicken breasts. So, your parents up for it?"

"Yo, I don't know, man. I'd have to check quick. Stay on the line?"

"Sure."

Frisk could hear Monster Kid yelling for his dad over the phone. The door downstairs opened and Asgore stepped out with a dirty T-shirt and tying an apron around his waist. Asgore rushed upstairs and to the kitchen above. "Hey Toriel." Asgore said. Everything else from then on was low muttering.

"Yo, hold on, my dad is in the garden. Sorry man."

"It's fine…"

Frisk listened intently and carefully, trying to overhear the conversation. The muttering was rather tense, and he could make out a few words.

"Must you…."

"Tori, I know he…"

"I'm fine without…."

"Can we just…."

"He is working hard to… but if you keep…. on your own."

"YO HE SAID YEAH!"

The sudden voice of the excited Monster Kid made Frisk jump in surprise.

"Okay, cool. Can you be over before five?"

"I can be there by four. Seeya in an hour. And yo! Save some chicken for me!"

Monster kid hung up. Frisk wondered how Monster Kid could pick up a phone without hands, but he pushed the thought aside for a moment. The conversation between Asgore and Toriel was getting more tense and now they were talking at normal voice levels, though it seemed to get a little louder.

"If Sans cannot even work a five hour shift every day, he isn't capable of taking care of you!"

"He isn't taking care of me, he is taking care of himself. You know he wants to have a place for Papyrus, himself…"

"And you?"

"Don't go there Asgore."

"You have this house because you live under my supervision and protection, and the things provided is minimal at best! They won't even place guards or have security provided. They give us a normal house in a normal human town, as though my… our kingdom is nonexistent! We are lodged into human society and every day the power I have, the kingdom we built, becomes more aimless, incoherent, and not taken seriously by the Human Government."

"Why does that have to be a bad thing? We have peace! We have everything we need for a good life."

"I do not trust the Human Government. The monsters look up to us. We are their inspiration, their leaders, their hope. If we conform to the Human Government, who will be there if the humans decide they don't want us living here anymore?"

"Where is this coming from? The humans are happy with our coexistence."

"For now. Again, I do not trust them."

"Fine! Then why don't you build your own little castle on some deserted island and keep calling yourself king? Right now, I am happy with where I am today."

"I'm sure you are very happy with Sans."

"What is that supposed to mean?!"

Frisk started to go up the stairs, but he was too afraid to. He didn't want to get in the way and make things worse.

"You know what I mean. I cannot stand seeing him with you, living under the same roof. Every day it hurts me, makes me angry. I wouldn't be surprised if you two began to sleep together."

"... Excuse me? You dare talk to me that way? First of all, Sans is a SKELETON. He doesn't have the capability to do such a thing. Second of all, it doesn't matter how I feel about Sans; we aren't together anymore!"

Frisk couldn't see them fighting, but he could sense Asgore's emotion when she said those words. He was shocked, but not out of surprise.

Toriel kept going, "You believe that you can win me back? That anything you do can justify what you have done? You've murdered children… MY children! I took care of them like they were my own… you've taken the things that were close to me and ran them into the ground! You can never earn redemption in my eyes after what you've done... Now get out, and build your little kingdom somewhere else."

Everything went quiet. Then, the slow footsteps of Asgore trudged toward the stairs. Every step sent pain into Frisk's heart… Asgore was family to Frisk, like his father. Was Toriel serious this time? When they fought, they usually separated for a little bit to each other's rooms. This time, Toriel seemed dead serious… Asgore was to leave.

Asgore made his way down the steps sluggishly, glimpsing at Frisk as he went for the door. His hands were shaking and tears were welling up in his eyes, and his lips quivered as though he were about to burst out crying. With two final words he said quietly, "I'm sorry…" And shut the door behind him.

Toriel stood at the top of the stairs. She too looked like she was about to cry.

"Should… Should I cancel with Monster Kid?" Frisk asked.

"No! No… I want him to come enjoy dinner… U-uhm…" Toriel couldn't hold it in anymore. She sat on the top step and cried. Frisk walked up to her and hugged her. Toriel looked at Frisk, "Do you think I like saying those things? To the man I once loved… the one I enjoyed most of my life with? I hate seeing him like this, and I hate what he has done… to know that the man I loved is no longer who he used to be, that his anger caused him to kill six of my once beloved children…" Toriel wept into the palms of her hands. "I can't be with him, knowing that he hurt the people I loved… I'm sorry, I need to..."

Toriel stood up and left for her room, leaving Frisk alone sitting on the top step.


	5. And Now, A Break From The Drama

**Chapter Four**

 **And Now, A Break From The Drama With Sans And Papyrus (Which Leads To More Drama)**

Sans sighed happily as Papyrus dragged him along. He was just starting to get his energy back from a long day of work.

And when Sans says work, he means actual work.

Besides, he really wanted to get away from Asgore before he would have to get in the middle of some fight. Toriel can handle him this time. She knows her way around the big guy.

Papyrus kept running like his life depended on it. Maybe Sans should tell Papyrus that he's awake…

Nah, let the guy keep running. If Papyrus notices that Sans is awake, he may force him to do various bone exercises. Sans couldn't let this opportunity go to waste.

Sans closed his eyes again and slept.

…

Sans felt a rush of liquid ram into his face. Sans tried to open his eyes, but a stream of white fluids kept hitting him again and again, endlessly. Sans thought he was going to drown in the milk.

Papyrus stood over him, tipping a milk carton on Sans to wake him up. " _UP AND AT 'EM LAZYBONES!_ "

"p-papy-rus! stop p-please!"

Papyrus ceased the milk pouring. Sans breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath. After a little bit of catching his breath, he looks up at Papyrus. "we at the store?"

" _YES, BROTHER. AND I THINK YOU NEED TO GIVE THE GREAT PAPYRUS SOME THANKS FOR THE RIDE._ "

"we can see if the store has any, but i think they're sold out."

Papyrus splashed what was left of the milk on Sans. " _COME, WE NEED TO DO OUR EXERCISES!_ "

"i think i broke a bone. i don't think i am able to do exercises today."

" _HERE, LET ME SEE…_ " Papyrus looked at Sans, then gave him a glare, " _YOU DIDN'T BREAK ANY BONES!_ "

"Yes I did." Sans summoned a bone, which was broken in half like a twig, "See?"

" _SANS! WHY DON'T YOU WANT TO WORK OUT WITH THE GREAT PAPYRUS? MOST WOULD BE DYING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS!_ "

"trust me, bro… every time i'm here, i'm dying a bit."

" _I TOLD YOU! THAT'S WHAT TENDS TO HAPPEN."_

"i can tell." Sans looked around. They were in the parking lot of a supermarket, and Sans was parked between two white lines with cars on either side. "say, is there a park function on this thing?"

" _I WOULDN'T KNOW. OH, WAIT!"_ Papyrus summoned a bone and wedged it between the cart and the ground. " _THERE. NOW IT WON'T GO ANYWHERE!_ "

"good idea. hey, where did you get that milk from?"

" _OH, I DIDN'T FIND IT! IT'S A TREAT FROM TORIEL; GOATS MILK!"_

Sans looked at Papyrus with wide eyes. "a-are you serious?"

" _YEP! AS SERIOUS AS CAN BE! SHE ORDERED IT FROM A LOCAL FARM TO TRY IT OUT! SHE ORDERS ALL SORTS OF ORGANIC FOODS NOW."_

Sans took a moment to relax and take a deep breath of relief. He wasn't actually…. bathing in her… _milk…_

"welp, let's go inside. exercises after shopping, remember?"

Sans and Papyrus walked side by side into the store. Papyrus knew exactly where the milk was, which was sadly all the way in the back of the store. Talk about poor product placement. That means they have to be in public longer. Papyrus loved talking to children in stores… mostly because he assumes they know who 'The Great Papyrus' is (they don't). That alone would be weird to humans, but the fact that they were monsters didn't help. He wasn't sure when it developed, but the human world seems to see monsters as evil, distant, immoral, disgusting creatures. Why they developed this view, Sans didn't know and probably won't ever be able to understand.

As they were walking, a human couple walking out of the store stared at them. Humans always seemed to look similar. Variation didn't occur much except for skin color and build. Guess seeing monsters in so many variations makes every other monster new to them, and therefore strange, and therefore must be stared at rudely.

Rudely staring; must be a culture thing.

Papyrus was the first to the door. With Papyrus's long legs, Sans couldn't hope to keep up… That and Sans was simply too lazy. After a long day of work, Sans just can't warp space-time as casually as he used too… mostly because he does it all the time at work. That's really the only reason they hired him. A skeleton would scare people, but having his knowledge of shortcuts would even that disadvantage out. At least, that's how Sans pictured it logically. He's always wanted to help people, and he hopes this company will help him do that, but in his line of work currently, he doesn't do as much helping as he does running errands for the ones who do get to help people.

Papyrus grabbed a shopping cart before going through the second pair of doors. Sans hopped in the basket of the cart. " _SANS! GET OUT OF THE CART, I'M NOT GOING TO PULL YOU EVERYWHERE._ "

"okay." Sans stayed put.

" _AND I'M NOT PUSHING YOU EITHER!_ "

"okay." Sans hopped out of the cart and walked alongside Papyrus through the sliding contraptions. A gentle gust of air brushed Sans face as the moving doors yawned for them. The air smelled of fresh vegetables and produce, which reminded Sans of something super important.

"papyrus, while we're in here, we gotta find some ketchup," Sans put his hands in his pockets casually.

Papyrus kept pushing the cart along, " _SANS, WE CAN'T AFFORD SO MUCH KETCHUP. EITHER YOU HAVE TO STOP DRINKING SO MUCH OR NO MORE KETCHUP FOR YOU._ "

"so i'll drink less. just have a lotta stress from my job."

Papyrus sighed and kept walking. They were going past the checkouts when Sans noticed someone working one of the checkouts. He was familiar in a way. "hey, papyrus…. is that burgerpants?"

" _HMM… I DON'T SEE ANY BURGERS IN HIS PANTS…_ "

"you go on ahead and get what we need. i'll go talk to burgerpants."

Sans began to walk away despite Papyrus's objections. Eventually Papyrus gave up and rolled away with his cart.

A customer was just walking away from Burgerpants when Sans came up from behind. "hey, burgpants."

Burgerpants jumped out of his… well… pants… when Sans called his name. "Geez! Oh, Sans…"

"i didn't call that loud."

"I know, I've just been having nightmares of Mettaton coming through here," Burgerpants slipped a small pack of cigarettes out of his pocket, "Not that my new employer is much better…"

"can you smoke in here?"

"No… Hey, James!" Burgerpants called out to a nearby employee, "Takin' a smoke break. Come on, Sans. I wanna show you something."

"show me something? i just got here."

"I know, but, uh, I kinda need your help and I can't be caught conversing with customers, so you're going to take a smoke break with me."

…

Sans and Burgerpants exited out of the back entrance of the store, and almost as soon as they were outside Burgerpants put a cigarette in his mouth and lit it up. A few feet away from the door against the wall of the store was a dumpster, and Sans thought he heard something digging through there. Burgerpants ignored it and breathed out some smoke. "Job's been hard. I come up here hoping for an acting career and they don't even have any jobs in the area!" Burgerpants put the cigarette back in his, "Can't say I expected anything less though."

"then why don't you move?" Sans asked.

"Move? Don't have the money. Busying trying to keep us alive."

Sans made a questioning look, "us? who is us?"

Burgerpants turned to the dumpster, "Bratty, Catty, come on out."

The dumpster shook a bit and two monsters popped their heads out; a cat-like one and a gator-like one. "Like, is the dumpster truck almost here already?" The gator said. Sans recognized her as Bratty. He assumed the other one to be Catty.

"Already? We've, like, already done this two days ago."

"Relax, ladies, it isn't the dump truck. Come on out and say hi to Sans."

The girls looked toward Sans, "Oh, hi Sans!" They both said in unison.

"heya girls. whaddya doin' in the dumpster?"

"Looking for junk. Duh!" Bratty said, "Where else would we be? Like, we gotta make a living." Catty lept down from the dumpster, carrying in her two paws a box of surprisingly well-preserved donuts, "Yeah, like, look at this stuff! Humans throw out SO MUCH perfectly good trash!" Catty began to open the package, but Bratty scolded her. "Catty, we can't eat the trash! We would, like, NEVER make a profit or a living. Burgerpants will have some food for us eventually."

"food?" Sans looked at Burgerpants. Burgerpants let out some smoke and explained.

"I have to give a portion of my savings to Bratty and Catty. Keep them on their feet. Harder to sell junk on the surface."

Catty approached Burgerpants and lay her head against his shoulder, "Isn't he a sweetheart? Giving us money and stuff so we can keep selling garbage. It's great!" Burgerpants' cheeks started to blush, but he kept a straight face trying to hide it.

"so whaddya need help with, burgpants?"

Burgerpants looked at Catty, "I need to talk alone with Sans. Can you put those donuts aside for the sale?"

"Sure thing." Catty skipped away with the donuts. Burgerpants breathed out a last puff of smoke, coughed, then threw the cigarette on the ground. "I need some extra money to keep Catty and Bratty fed and alive. I'm not going to be enough for three people for long periods of time. If I lose my job here, they'll probably die of starvation or live like hobos."

"you mean besides the fact that they are basically already hobos?"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. I just need more money." Burgerpants took out another cigarette and lit it up.

"i'm trying to save up for a house. apartment rent has gone up so i'm stayin' with tori till i can afford one, fully furnished. Doesn't have to be a big home, it's just me and papyrus."

"C'mon, Sans. It'll take at least several years before you can afford one without loans. Plus I think you just like spending time with Toriel, if you know what I mean…" Sans just kept smiling while Burgerpants kept smoking and coughing.

"yeah, you're right. i do enjoy being with tori. y'know, spending time with frisk, playing board games, and probably not doing what you implied…"

"Sans, please, I have to have some money, just to last for several months. I can pay you back."

"nah, i'll pay you. i'm not a loan shark, i can take a small hit for a few months. but i can't promise much more than that, m'kay?"

Burgerpants nodded at Sans, "You're the best, Sans… When you aren't annoying as hell." He whispered under his smoking breath. Burgerpants looked at his watch on his right hand, "Well, look at the time, my smoke break is over."

"y'know, maybe i should take on smoking if i get a required ten minute break for taking on a bad habit."

"Not worth the trouble." Burgerpants coughed again, then threw his second cigarette on the ground and stepped on it, "Bratty, Catty, I'm heading back to work."

The two poked their heads out of the dumpster and said in unison, "Okay! Have, like, a good day and stuff!"


	6. Like An Insect That Can Think

**Chapter Five**

 **Like An Insect That Can Think**

Fel stood in the abandoned town of Snowdin. A small draft made its way through, giving the once cute town a disturbing presence of eeriness. He has never seen the Underground so empty before. Not even the MTT Restaurant in Hotland is occupied. Loneliness… So strange that Fel couldn't feel this emotion. There are so many emotions that don't require a soul and so many that do. A horrible hybrid mixture of both instinct and emotion, with no soul to maintain the two. No morality to determine right from wrong. Only the purpose he was given prospers in his conscious. Fel remained motionless in the cold, as he could not feel the chilly weather, but a figure approached Fel from behind and stood by his side; a Minimus, like Fel, but wore a hood and robes, and looked rather regal compared to him or other Minimus. His hands were replaced with short sword attachments, which he crossed behind his back as one would cup their hands behind them. He spoke, "Fel, what are you doing out here?"

"I am thinking." Fel answered, "What are you doing here, Hubris?"

"I am just visiting my brother." Hubris replied.

"I am not your brother. We are simply kin."

"You were the first and I was the second. I count you as my brother." Hubris looked at Fel, but Fel didn't want to make eye contact. He knew Hubris enough not to engage him.

"You feel a need to assert your dominance over me." Fel replied out of the blue, "I do not recognize you as my brother. You are competition, and you rely on those instincts to drive you rather than your conscious."

"And you do not?" Hubris argued, "If there is one thing that human hypocrisy has taught, it is that good and evil are futile concepts to them; contradictory. Humans always think that morals are societally constructed to suit 'the system', yet when a genocide occurs, everyone is indignant. An attempt to dismiss actions such as those as evil are only made to incriminate them. Yet when they commit the same genocide against monsterkind, they justify it out of fear, anger, anticipation… If evil is a societal concept, then those actions cannot be considered good or better than another nation's actions of peace and equal opportunity. It is a complicated issue because the humans make it complicated through justification and explanation. So I ignore values. I go by instinct… or what instincts I have. Simplier that way."

"Then it can be just as simple to take on values with moral absolutes. The concepts of mercy, kindness, unconditional love and gratitude…"

"Futile. Useless. The humans call themselves "social animals" and accept that. Yet look at us. What are we? We are animals, yet we feel nothing morally. We feel no need to help another besides instinct. Humans don't recognize the instinctual differentiation between two instincts. They know some instincts ought to be obeyed above others at certain times, not matter how strong one instinct is to another." Hubris turned to Fel, "If you are in danger and I am the only one that can help you, yet if I am to help I must die… I would run due to the overriding instinct of self-preservation. I let my instincts direct my actions. That is how I got this far. And that is why I will always win."

"So you justify your dominance based on simplicity."

"You begin to see the point. You are incapable of feeling, yet you try to be 'moral' with your actions. You attempt kindness and sacrifice toward Somnium because you understand he works better under such conditions, not because you feel it necessary due to morality or that he needs an adult figure in his life. If I had my way with Somnium, he would be dead due to his unprofitable efforts in this group."

"I see great potential within him. Unlike you, I can think ahead to the future rather than focusing on the present via your 'instincts'."

"Potential means nothing to me. If he continues to be an anchor to this group, I will kill him, with or without your permission."

"So why haven't you done it yet?"

Hubris looked back at the abandoned buildings, ignoring Fel's question. "Care for a spar?"

"I do care. I am not in the mood."

"Because you know I'll win."

Fel sighed. Hubris knew how to get under someone's skin. "No. Because I do not wish to fight right now." Fel turned to walk away from Hubris, but as he walked, his chest suddenly burst open. Fel, unable to feel the pain, looked down to see what had happened; sure enough, Hubris had stabbed his sword through Fel's chest from behind. Black liquid dripped from the hemorrhage and stained the white snow under him. "I expected as such."

"Do not lie. I know you didn't expect it." Hubris removed his sword hand from the wound and began to flick the black substance off the blade and into the snow, "You'll heal in a few minutes. Don't cry over it." Hubris turned the other direction, toward Waterfall.

"Where are you going?" said Fel.

"Hotland. The Core's progress needs to be checked."

Fel nodded and proceeded north of Snowdin toward the Ice Mine. Fel felt the wound that was there, but to his surprise, the wound was completely gone already. Fel realized that Hubris wounded him in order to help.

The Minimus were made as miners and workers. They were created by W.D. Gaster, via a special secretion that allows them to adapt to any environment; the black liquid that runs through Fel's, Hubris', and all Minimus' bodies. This black substance is what made them, and it is what keeps them adapting to environments. Hubris was the one that realized it could be used for other means than climate purposes. Hubris began to self-harm, with no intent to kill, and saw that when he cut his body, the fluid made adaptations and healed the wounds. The more Hubris wounded himself, the faster the healing process worked, and the less it hurt for Hubris. Soon, Fel joined in on this little cult, and so did all the Minimus in the mine. The process was soon made to be excruciating for faster results, but in the long run it was worth it to Fel. Hubris stabbed Fel because Hubris wanted Fel to improve (most likely for Hubris' own sake, as Hubris always seems to have ulterior motives), and now Fel's wound had healed faster than he anticipated.

A splashing sound was heard in the distance, and Fel saw that the Ice Mine's conveyer belt is functioning. Originally, Ice Wolf was the one that had to throw the blocks of ice they mine toward the Core, but now that Ice Wolf has gone to the surface, the conveyer belt had to be extended further. Every Minimus had to be at work in the mine, to train or to help cut ice… speaking of the mine…

Fel knelt down beside the the ice machine and rubbed away some snow, revealing a hatch leading down to the Ice Mine, AKA their base of operations. Fel was about to open it when he heard something… Fel turned quickly and saw Somnium floating behind. "Somnium. What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be with Klōn on an assignment?"

Somnium nodded his stalk eye slowly, " **Yes, but I was t** **øø afraid. Fel, dø we have tø dø the things we dø?** "

Fel held in his frustration toward Somnium., "Yes, we do. We must. It is our only purpose. Is Klōn okay on his own?"

" **Yes. He said he'd handle it. He said the May** **ø** **r will be dead by t** **ø** **night and the headlines** **ø** **n air by t** **ø** **m** **ø** **rr** **ø** **w m** **ø** **rning.** "

"Good. Then I have a different assignment for you. One which I myself will attend to. If you fail, then you know I cannot protect you from Hubris much longer."

Somnium nodded, " **I understand. S** **ø… w** **hat's the assignment?** "

"We are going to assassinate a human; Ambassador Frisk."


	7. Undyne's Place

**Chapter Seven**

 **Undyne's Place (Our king is STILL bad at chapter names)**

Huffing and weeping, a river of tears streamed down Asgore's face, wetting the facial furs down to his golden beard. He had been holding in his tears in since the ride into the cities, but once he parked in the lot in front of the fancy looking apartment building, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He cried a shower of tears very similar to the storm which now hovered outside. The weather had been changing very freakishly, but it always has been that way around Mt. Ebbot, but Asgore found it rather funny that it decided to rain at this particular time. The blackness surrounded his little minivan as it soon approached midnight, though the stars above were consumed by clouds above and Asgore shrunk in the midst of the giant buildings. He wished he could see the real stars, and pray to whatever great deity lived there to have mercy on him, but alas the face of God could not be seen as of now. It made Asgore feel empty, as empty as the van he sat it, the echos of the raindrops rapping and tapping the roof. Asgore took one final snuffle and looked at the fancy appartment. He had to go in. Enough procrastinating, enough messing around.

Though, to be fair, procrastination is what kept him from destroying humanity in the first place.

No no, he had to go in. This wasn't a mass genocidal plan. It was just accepting counsel from some friends.

Asgore took a breath and opened his door, his arm becoming just as wet as his face once the rain hit his fur and soaked down into his skin. He stepped out, still in his boring shirt, and prepared to face the two.

…

By the time he got inside and stepped into the elevator, he was soaking wet. The rain continued to pour harder and harder, but there was no storm or thunderclouds present, thankfully. Asgore loved elevators and used them all the time in his castle. He always felt as though he could fly for a moment, but now he didn't really care what he felt. He just wanted to be with some people who would know what to do in a situation like this.

The elevator dinged, almost as if to angrily say get-the-hell-out-of-me, and the doors opened up. Asgore stepped into a wide hallway which extended to both his left and right. Thankfully, the door he needed to go to was the one right in front of him; Room 68. He probably would have gotten lost otherwise. The lamps gave off that fluorescent light kind of brightness to his eyes, which gave him a slight headache.

Asgore put his beefy knuckles on the door and hit it lightly a few times. Asgore looked straight at the door in order to avoid the fluorescent light, and he heard footsteps on the other side. The door opened and Undyne stood there. She wore her typical sleeveless shirt, which showed off her muscular arms which could, as she has proven, bench press several people. But despite her seeing Asgore, she didn't greet him with a smile or any kind of friendly expression as she normally does. She simply raised her eyebrows with a sad expression, "Oh, heya Asgore. What are you doing here?"

Asgore licked his dry lips, "I needed to talk with you. Something happened."

Undyne nodded, "You heard about it too, huh?"

"Heard about what?"

Undyne looked at him sadly, then stepped aside, "Come inside, Asgore."

Asgore went into Undyne's place, and surprisingly it was well kept, which Asgore wouldn't expect from Undyne and Alphys. Those two would be chaotic, with Alphys' disorganization and Undyne being… well, Undyne. The place had a wonderful large window which overlooked the streets below, but that wonder was soon dissipated by the depressing rainfall which made the atmosphere seem gloomy. Surprisingly, the room was rather small and average for a apartment of this magnitude. There was a single bed which was stuffed against a wall facing toward a flat-screen TV and a training dummy right under it. The fluorescent light was replaced with modern lamps and lights, which hurt Asgore's eyes much less than those in the hallway. There was a small kitchen walled off by a bar to Asgore's right as he entered and a door which led to the bathroom on his left. It was a cute apartment, and it looked rather expensive, but Asgore realized that he had paid Undyne in gold, and gold wasn't used as currency on the Surface anymore. But gold was also extremely valuable to humans, so monsters could afford a lot of luxuries… until the Human Government conned most monsters out of their money during a 'governmental charity' to help monsters intertwine with human society and receive protection. They played the kind conscious of monsterkind, and monsters gladly gave them gold for the cause. All the monsters received equal protection and rights, and gave them all 'proper' housing, but were also equally poor save Asgore and his family, who were only kept afloat due to Asgore's status. Undyne and Alphys must have been the lucky few who either didn't donate or didn't hear about the 'charity'.

Alphys sat under the covers of the bed, watching the TV with a hand over her mouth. Asgore wasn't sure what she was doing, but Undyne guided Asgore to the bedroom and pointed at the TV, "You didn't hear about this?" She asked him.

Asgore looked at the TV and Undyne sat at the end of the bed. The TV was on a news station, and it showed the Embassy from a helicopter view looking down. Police cars and some ambulances flashed lights, men and women scattering around the scene. A small headline showed on the screen:

 _ **MAYOR OF EBBOT CITY KILLED - Potentially monsters?**_

The news anchor began to speak quietly, "For those who are just joining us, we are currently at the site of the Embassy where our beloved Mayor was, uh, stabbed to death. We are awaiting more information, but… uh, we may not receive much tonight. There were two bodyguards injured by stab wounds as well, who have both stated that the intruder was indeed a monster."

"What kind of monster would do this?" Alphys wondered out loud, her hand still over her mouth in shock.

Undyne shook her head, "The Mayor was a good guy, he didn't deserve this. He did everything he could to make life for monsters easy, but now…" Undyne clenched her fist, and in the corner of Asgore's eye a blue flash occurred and something zoomed across the room, hitting the dummy straight through the chest. Asgore lept out of his skin and looked to see what had happened; Undyne had thrown an energy spear. "DAMN IT ALL!" Undyne got up and started throwing a tantrum, punching furnachure, walls, dummies, and Asgore (ouch!). Alphys hid under her blanket as Undyne released her rage. She ran and jumped from location to location, throwing punches onto any surface she saw.

"WHO IS GONNA BE MAYOR, HUH?!" Undyne raged as she continued throwing punches, "THE VICE MAYOR?! HE'S A DORK! EVERYBODY KNOWS HE'S ANTI-MONSTER!"

Undyne started to beat up the dummy, throwing it around and pummeling it, at one point drawing the title "Vice Mayor" on its head with a black sharpie before continuing to beat it up again. "NYAAAAAAAGH!" She screamed out until she lost all of her energy from beating up the dummy. She huffed and puffed and sweated profusely. Alyphys hid her face under the covers, shaking just as horribly.

"U-U-Undyne!" Alphys stuttered at last. Her fear caused Undyne to pause and look at Alphys.

After a moment of laxity, Undyne controlled her breathing and walked back toward the bed, getting under the sheets and cuddling Alphys, petting her head, "I'm sorry, hun." Undyne kept comforting Alphys.

"I am sorry about the Mayor," Asgore said, "We are all devastated over this. I… I feel I must go back to Tori's home, confront her and apologize."

"I don't know what happened Asgore," Undyne started, "But maybe it's best if you stay here for the night, and apologize tomorrow. You know how Toriel can be… make her mad, and she's more violent than ME. Remember that one time I almost put Frisk in the oven?"

"Y-you kinda DID put them in the oven." Alphys corrected.

"It was a JOKE!" Undyne justified.

"And you turned it on." Asgore added.

"It was only a hundred degrees!" Undyne defended, "Humans can survive that, right?"

Asgore stood, "Thank you both for your time, but I need to go back and apologize as soon as possible."


	8. A Midsummer Night's Nightmare

**Chapter Eight**

 **A Midsummer Night's… Nightmare**

It wasn't long after dinner and after Monster Kid went home that Frisk wanted to go to bed, and Toriel gladly put them down as it was a long day for Frisk. Frisk still felt the delicious chicken taste lingering in their mouth at around twelve o'clock, but they couldn't stop thinking about Asgore, so sleep wasn't much of an option. Frisk wanted Asgore to come home; they understood that Toriel was angry with him, but Asgore was family. He had made mistakes, but Frisk could forgive him for those mistakes. Frisk hoped, as hard as it may be for Toriel, that she could do the same eventually. He wasn't a bad man, he made mistakes but that didn't mean he was beyond redemption.

After all, considering what Frisk had done, Asgore's crime seems minescule in comparison.

Papyrus and Sans came home late that night. Frisk could hear the muffled voices in the hallway through the door.

"oh, hey tori," a voice which Frisk recognized as Sans spoke, "you're still up?"

"Yes, I am," Toriel said, "I couldn't sleep. Where have you two been?"

" _WE WERE JUST ON OUR WAY BACK FROM THE NICE CREAM TRUCK! SANS ALSO HAS SOME… WHAT WAS IT…. 'LAUGHING TAFFING'?"_

"i'm pretty sure it's just ice cream, papyrus. and it's laffy taffy."

" _THAT'S WHAT I JUST SAID!_ "

"so uh, where's asgore? he asleep?"

"Oh… Uhm…" Toriel paused, "He's… I kicked him out."

"already?"

"Sans, please…"

"right. sorry. what happened?"

"I will tell you about it in the morning, Sans. I just need some space, if I can have a moment."

"sure tori, whatever you need. come on, papyrus." Some sets of footsteps could be heard across the hall, but then one of them stopped, "hey tori…"

"Yes, Sans?"

A sound of crinkling suggested Sans was fiddling with a wrapper, "where does a penguin deposit money? - a snow bank."

Toriel giggled some, then started laughing. Sans chuckled as well. "well, i'll seeya."

"Goodnight Sans."

Sans walked away, but instead of continuing down the hall to their room, he opened the door to Frisk's room. The light from the hallway shrone into the area and Sans walked in, shutting and locking the door behind him. "heya kid," Sans said quietly, "you ready?"

"Ready for what?"

"the exorcism."

Frisk sighed, "Sans, you really need rest."

"nah, i'm good."

Frisk sighed again. There wasn't any chance that they could convince Sans not to go through with this, "Fine, let's get it over with then."

Sans approached the bedside, sat next to Frisk, and put his hand on their head. Sans went unconcious.

…

Sans was out for about ten minutes, still fighting Chara. Frisk couldn't see what was happening, but they could sense it. They could feel it. The struggle in their body raged on, but Frisk knew who the victor would be in the end. Chara's determination to finish the job far outweighed that of Sans, a monster with very little soul power. Frisk was surprised to hear that there were few in the world that had determination like Frisk or Chara, or Flowey. There are only a few handfuls of humans and even less monsters who had the ability to continue living through sheer willpower and determination. The Seven Magicians had that power, and many more powers and abilities along with that, including prolonged life, but now only one is still alive. Ebenezer, The Last Magician.

Frisk closed their eyes. They just wanted to stop the fighting, but now Frisk's friends are suffering from Frisk's mistakes. Just because he wanted to see what would happen. Such power should never be granted to a person, and as far as Frisk knew, they and Flowey were the only two that could take control of the timeline and reset it. Frisk stopped Flowey from using the power, only to use it for themselves. Frisk swore from the bottom of their heart that they would never reset again. But now, looking at where they are at this very moment, Frisk couldn't help but wonder if it was worth it to continue despite Chara claiming their soul. Even if Frisk wanted to reset, that power was taken away from them by Chara. They can't go back to before the Genocide, take Chara out of their soul, and live happily ever after. There was no happy ending here, simply Chara inevitably taking over Frisk's body and destroying humans and monsters. Frisk's determination has met its limits; Chara's determination far outweighed their own.

Another ten minutes passed before Sans finally "died" and came back to Frisk. Sans told Frisk that Chara had somehow strapped him to some sort of death machine that chopped him up to tiny pieces. Frisk began to cry. Sans had to go through this torture every night now, because of what Frisk had done. The regret came back every time Sans entered the room.

"I'm so sorry Sans," Frisk cried, "I'm sorry for all the things I've done."

Sans embraced Frisk, "it's okay, frisk."

A few moments later, there was a small tapping on the door, and it opened to reveal Toriel.

"What is going on in here?" She asked, who was deeply concerned based on the look on her face.

"It's nothing, tori," Sans answered, "frisk just had a bad dream."

Sans got up from the bed and exited the room, while Toriel entered in and sat where Sans was. She put a warm, fuzzy paw-like hand on Frisk's shoulder, rubbing it gently, "Is everything okay, my child?" She asked softly.

Frisk hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yes… Yes I'm fine." Frisk sniffled and Toriel wiped a tear from their cheek. "Don't cry my child…"

Frisk looked into Toriel's eyes, which for some reason seemed drowsy and bloodshot. In fact, at several points her eyelids were opening and shutting. She put her hands on Frisk's cheeks and grazed them gently. Frisk held her warm furry arms in comfort despite her appearance. Her hands filled him with almost a warm energy from her palms, which she tended to do to comfort others.

Her hands began to tighten a bit more, Frisk assumed from emotion, but then it kept getting tighter, until it started to hurt! Frisk squirmed a bit, "Toriel, what are you doing! It hurts…!"

The warm energy once pulsating from her palms were now growing hot. Frisk shifted uncomfortably, trying to remove her hands as it was growing hotter. He huffed and puffed as sweat began dripping down their neck. "Tori!" Frisk yelled, but her palms were now scolding hot, burning to a point where it became unbearable. Frisk screamed out while her grip tightened, Frisk violently jerking around trying to free themselves from the embrace, but her clutch endured. Their skin started sizzling and tears of pain ran down Frisk's face.

Her hands were suddenly forced away from their face. Sans stood behind Toriel, grabbing one of her wrists.

"tori! what the hell is wrong with you?" Sans screamed at Toriel. As Sans berated Toriel, her other hand clenched into a fist with flames burning out from her knuckles. With the speed of light, she raised her fist and threw a punch into Sans' head. It flew like a comet into Sans' cranium, knocking him into the floor below.

Frisk didn't take time to worry about Sans, they ran as fast as they could toward the door. Frisk looked behind them as they ran a moment, but then their head hit something and knocked them on their butt. Frisk looked up to see Papyrus standing there in his blue fluffy-bunny pajamas and nightcap, a questioning look developing on his boney countenance.

" _FRISK._ " Papyrus began, " _I HEARD YELLING. WHAT- UGH!_ "

Sparks flew from Papyrus' chest, singeing his fluffy-bunny pajamas. The fireball had made a hole right through his clothes, and exposing his chest bones, which too were burnt to a black crisp. Papyrus fell back without another word.

"No!" Frisk yelled as he scurried up. A burst of heat went past his head, and a fireball just barely missed him, hitting the wall to Frisk's right. Frisk had no other option but to run. Tears still running down their eyes, Frisk jumped over Papyrus and attempted to escape. Frisk exited the door and ran down the hallway to their left. Their face still pulsated with pain from the burns that Toriel left after cooking up their face. Frisk attempted to take a right down the stairs to the entry way, but another burst of heat hit Frisk in the face. A wall of flames blocked the way to the exit. Frisk looked to see Toriel slowly walking down the hallway, her arms extended with flames bursting from either end, setting the walls of the house aflame. Frisk instead ran into the kitchen, just forward from the stairs. Frisk entered the open passage and frantically looked for a defense. Frisk opened a drawer for the silverware and dug out a random object. Somehow, Frisk unconsciously picked up…

A kitchen knife. Rather large, approximately one foot long from hilt to tip. Frisk stared at it… it was quite a sharp knife… clean too, with a sparkle and shine to it…

Frisk could feel the heat coming, but they didn't seem to care much anymore. Frisk just started to feel… automated, all the sudden. Frisk took hold of the kitchen knife, walking either bravely or foolishly toward Toriel, who had just made it to the end of the hallway, leaving a burning trail on the walls in her wake. Frisk stared into her drowsy, bloodshot eyes, then grinned. Holding the knife tightly, Frisk walked step by step toward her. Toriel shot a fireball directly at Frisk, but they sidestepped and dodged with ease. Another came at them, Toriel now backing up into the burning hallway. Again, with little effort, Frisk sidestepped and it flew past. Now Toriel was becoming afraid. Step by step, the human was getting nearer and nearer, with a frightening grin on their face; a grin of glee which seemed to increase with every moment they drew closer.

Frisk started to speed up the pace, Toriel now frantically throwing fireballs, which Frisk continued to dodge. Frisk was now right up on Toriel, who attempted to cast a sea of flames upon Frisk, but Frisk jabbed their knife into Toriel's side, causing her to yelp and fall to her knees. Frisk cut her arm next, which she again yelled out and held the wound.

The next strike was more permanent. Frisk slashed at her hand…

Toriel screamed out, dust flying from the three fingers that were cut off. The pinky, ring, and middle finger all vanished into dust before they could touch the ground. She held her wound, breathing heavily.

Chara raised their knife for the finishing blow.


	9. A Cleansing Of Fire And Bone

**Chapter Nine**

 **A Cleansing Of Fire And Bone (okay, Asgore is getting better at these)**

Asgore drove quickly back through the silent neighborhood, shooting past house after house until he could find Tori's. Thankfully, Asgore managed to find a way around the traffic of the city, but still burnt away a lot of his time. Asgore knew it was late, but he didn't much care. He had to see Tori as soon as possible, to apologize for what he has done. It was a horrible night, after the Mayor's death, and Asgore knew the Mayor as a good friend, the only human authority he felt he could trust. He wanted to mourn his death, but he held in his emotions until Asgore could make things right with Tori. Then he can tell her the news, if she hasn't heard it already. He looked pretty ridiculous in his pink shirt, getting soaked from the downpouring rainstorm, but he didn't care so much.

Asgore saw the house in the distance, and felt both glee and anxiety at the same time, but there was something off about the house…

It was hard to see in the night, but Asgore swore he could see smoke rising from one of the windows. And much more than Toriel's-failed-attempt-to-make-cookies kind of smoke. It poured out from Frisk's window. There's a fire!

Asgore drove faster, turning straight into the driveway, then putting it in park. As he got out of the mini-van, he reached for his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1.

"Nine one one, what's your emergency?" the voice on the phone said. It was a woman's voice, which sounded calm in the midst of Asgore's panic.

"There is an abnormal amount of smoke rising from my house, I am afraid there is a fire!"

"Alright, sir, please remain calm. Please tell me your address so we can get to your location."

"663 Maple Street," Asgore replied. Asgore put his hand on the front door handle, "It is the house with the yellow smiley face on the garage! Please hurry!"

Asgore hung up without another word, opening the door. He felt a definite difference in temperature as warm air hit him. Asgore was attuned with fire magic, making him resistant to fire, but that didn't make heat any less painful to him. Nonetheless, Asgore continued inside. Sure enough, the first thing that caught his eye was the flames hugging against the walls upstairs, licking the ceiling with whips and curls. Were they still inside!? Asgore sprinted upstairs and turned right down the burning hallway. He had little time to react before saw Frisk and ran into him. Frisk fell forward, dropping the knife on the ground. Toriel was in front of Frisk, and Asgore saw no time for them. He didn't know how Frisk could withstand the heat with the flames on the wall being so near, but Asgore lifted him on his shoulder, putting the question aside for the sake of time.

"Come, Tori! We must leave!" Asgore screamed above the burning house and crackling of flames. Toriel looked up at Asgore, raising her palm and blasting a beam of flames, hitting Asgore's chest, sending him spinning in the air several feet into the living room. The blow was so unexpected that Asgore could barely find any strength to get up. His pink shirt had erupted in flames and burned to ash, leaving his upper body exposed. When he finally go to his senses, Toriel was standing over him. Asgore didn't know where Frisk was at this moment, though the flames weren't in the living room yet, but they had little time before it made it there.

"T-Tori…!" Asgore managed, "What in the world are you doing!?"

Toriel raised her right fist, flames beginning to flow from her knuckles, and Asgore felt tears welling in his eyes once more. Did she really hate him that much? That she would willingly hurt him and leave him in a burning building?

Toriel landed the blow right onto Asgore's face. Under normal circumstances, Asgore would have been able to block it, but these weren't normal circumstances. His former wife was beating him out of spite.

Toriel raised the same fist again, then threw it down at Asgore, but this time, Asgore grabbed her fist in his hand, then looked at her… Her eyes were in a daze, looking straight at Asgore.

"You are not Toriel…"

Tori blew flames from her mouth into Asgore's face. He stumbled a bit, but otherwise he managed to go into a standing position. Asgore cupped his right hand into "o" and stuck it out to his side. A small pillar of fire spawned forth, and then settled, leaving Asgore's Trident in his hand. Asgore prepared his trident, resting it in his left hand. Toriel remained where she stood. Asgore doesn't know how he knows it, but he does; This isn't Toriel. He knew her, and he know that no matter how angry she was at him, she would never lay a finger on him. It simply couldn't be her.

As Asgore looked into her tired eyes, he saw two other figures approaching behind her. Two skeletons… One wearing a sweater, with a small crack in his skull, and another wearing blue fluffy-bunny pajamas, with a burnt hole in it.

"Sans! Papyrus! Help me!" Asgore yelled.

The two skeletons stood behind Toriel, without a single word. Their eyes looked exhausted, droopy and tired like Tori's. Asgore frowned, making the connection immediately; they were in some sort of hex… with those droopy and expressionless eyes… And that means that the three of them are trying to kill Asgore.

Asgore looked to his right and saw Frisk laying on the floor, near the glass door leading toward the porch. Asgore was worried, but then Frisk started to move. He was relieved to see that they were still alive.

Asgore eyed his former friends cautiously, trying to see when they'd make a move.

Nothing. Asgore continued looking. They simply stood there and stared. Asgore looked back at Frisk.

"Firsk! NO!"

Frisk looked down the barrel of a Gasterblaster, a rather big one, charging up and preparing to fire. Asgore dropped his Trident, which evaporated into steam, and ran to Frisk. Asgore never ran so fast in his life; with the speed of light he rushed toward Frisk, picking them up and turning his back toward the Gasterblaster, shielding them as best he could. A bright blue light flashed and a burning sensation ran down Asgore's back, with a force that threw Asgore off his feet, smashing through the glass door. Asgore could feel the piercing shards, stuck in several points of his face and arms, while he flew into the rainy outdoors. The momentum continued, flying out beyond the deck and smashing through the wooden porch railing, before flying twenty feet more, smashing into the grassy and wet backyard, dirt flying up as he skipped across like a well-thrown pebble across water. One, two, three skips across the yard, until he finally slid across the ground on his back. Asgore still held Frisk in his arms. Asgore looked down at Frisk, who was dirty and wet, his forehead and face bruised.

"Nnnngh… F-Frisk?"

Frisk did not respond. Asgore put two fingers on the side of their neck to feel their pulse. It was still going. Frisk was simply unconscious.

Asgore stood in the rain, holding Frisk in his left arm, and summoning his Trident in his other hand. Toriel, Sans, and Papyrus lept through the broken railing and landed on the ground, walking toward Asgore. Asgore was in deep pain, but he ignored it to prepare for the coming conflict. They were now upon him, standing there aimlessly.

As Asgore prepared, he noticed something behind Tori, moving. A fourth figure, with black skin floating behind Tori's head. Asgore's eyes began to adjust, and he noticed that it looked like a mushroom almost, with black skin and a single stalking eye, which was colored dark red. Three noodle-like arms wiggled with oversized humanoid hands on each end of them, five fingers and all. The creature began moving all of it's fingers, and Asgore's friends began sprinting toward Asgore.

Sans jumped at Asgore from his left, but Asgore hit him aside with his Trident. Papyrus did the same to Asgore's right, and Asgore simply swayed back and smacked Papyrus aside as well. Asgore was careful not to stab or cause fatal wounds. Toriel lept in next from the front. Asgore sidestepped, then hit the Trident into Toriel's back, causing her to fall on the ground. Some Gasterblasters appeared. The first pointed right in front of Asgore, but Asgore stabbed it with his Trident, causing the Gasterblaster to burst into bone. A second one appeared to Asgore's right. Asgore swung the Trident while it was in the stabbing formation, hitting the Gasterblaster on it's boney side, bursting into bone.

Asgore was turned toward the previous Gasterblaster, and another appeared from behind him while he took care of that one. It began to charge, but Asgore let go of the Trident, and it flew over Asgore's head and stabbed the Gasterblaster in the head. Asgore quickly turned and took the Trident out before the Gasterblaster fell apart. As the Gasterblaster disappeared, Papyrus jumped into the scene, with a long bone which acted like a sword. Papyrus rose the bone and attempted an overhead slash at Asgore, but Asgore blocked it with ease. Papyrus then attempted to mix up his attack patterns, going for a side slash. Asgore again blocked it. Papyrus finally went in for a stab, but Asgore let go of his Trident. The Trident stabbed downward, blocking the bone and trapping it between the spaces of the forking weapon. Asgore took the opportunity to swing his fist and punch Papyrus in the skull. Without hesitation, Asgore also kicked right after the strike to trip Papyrus over.

Toriel came at him next. Tori sent a blast of flames sprouting from her one good hand. Asgore quickly ordered the Trident in front of the direction of the flames. Asgore felt the heat getting close, but the Trident began to spin rapidly, a furious wind spawning forth from it in both directions. Asgore felt it breezing through his fur at full force, yet he remained still. The flames were blown back from the force of the wind, extinguishing them and keeping them back. However, Sans came in to Asgore's right and Papyrus to his left, both with bone weapons in their hands. Sans was the first to strike. Sans did an overhead strike. Asgore attempted a block, but when he raised his arm and the bone struck him, a vibrating pain thrived through his arm, as though his own arm bone was being broken. Asgore yelped but kept his arm up. Papyrus lifted his arm and summoned a small bone from the ground. The bone traveled vertically across the grass and dirt and hit Asgore's leg, tripping him down.

Asgore attempted to get up, but a burning force pushed him back on the ground. A Gasterblaster had shot him in his upper back, forcing him to the ground.

Before Asgore could react, a bone shot up from the ground, right below his gut. The bone hit his gut hard, not stabbing through, but lifted Asgore in the air several feet. The blow caused Asgore to lose all breath in his lungs. The bone quickly dropped down then shot back up, punching Asgore in the gut again midair. Another force hit Asgore's spine; a bone smashed into his back parallel to the bone in his gut. Asgore could no longer breath, nor did he have any strength left. He tried to keep a hold of Frisk, but he couldn't keep them in his arm. He dropped them, and they hit the ground with a thud. Asgore felt his head becoming light, his vision hazy… He felt dust falling out of his mouth, crumbling gently from somewhere in his body. The bones fell apart and disappeared, Asgore falling to the ground.

Asgore tried desperately to cling to what life he had, but he could not move. The creature floated down into Asgore's view, Papyrus picking up Frisk.

" **Gøød efført, but in the end, pøintless,"** The creature mocked, " **Say gøødbye tø yøur preciøus ambassadør!"**

A bone rose from the damp ground in front of Papyrus, except the bone was sharp and pointed on one end. Papyrus lifted the unconscious Frisk above his head, preparing to throw the human ambassador onto the spike.

" **There is nøthing møre yøu can dø, Asgøre. Just let yøurself die."** The creature commented.

"Nnn… Wrong.." Asgore managed. The Trident, which was still spinning, spun toward the creature, the flat of the Trident coming into contact with the creature's head, knocking them to the ground. The Trident, after having done its duty, disappeared in a pillar of steam. Papyrus, Sans, and Toriel fell to the ground, unconscious. They weren't moving, but they seemed to be breathing. Asgore tried to get up, but he didn't have the strength. Every time he tried to push himself off the ground, his arms gave in and he fell back down. It wasn't long after that when Asgore began to fade away.

His body was in so much pain, but the pain felt more distant by every second. Was he dying? Asgore couldn't tell. Whatever the case, at least his friends are safe, and he can die knowing that he saved them from that strange monster. Asgore relaxed, letting himself go.


	10. Royal Chains And Triangles

**Chapter Ten**

 **Royal Chains And Triangles**

Toriel had been aware of what was going on since she fell asleep. The transition was so seamless, as if it were a dream, but it too real to be a dream. She had no control of her own body; she felt like a puppet on a string. Tori had walked and talked without her even thinking about it, it was all being done for her. It was a nightmare beyond measure; she had hurt and tried to kill Frisk. Could she forgive herself for it? Could Frisk forgive her? Was Frisk even alive?

Toriel began to open her eyes, seeing a white room, and some curtains around her. Was she awake? Or was this another dream? Where was she?

A man stood over her, looking at equipment next to her and making notes on a clipboard. He was wearing an outfit of an ugly sea-greenish color, and with a flat set of brown hair on his head, above his round glasses. The man looked at Toriel, then started yelling out.

"She's awake!" He exclaimed.

It all happened so quickly that Toriel didn't have time to process it all. A doctor appeared at her bedside to her right and began to ask her questions, presumably if she was alright. Toriel tried to remain conscious, but she soon fell back into a deep sleep.

…

The rest of the events upon her next awakening was a blur. She was okay enough to walk, the three fingers she lost were healed into little stubs, and she changed into patient cloths so that her robes could be washed by one of the nurses. They managed to stop the rest of her body from crumbling apart, including her innards, but she had received a lot of damage from her finger wounds being untreated for so long. Monsters don't wound the same way as humans; if there is a wound, no matter how small, it needs to be treated or else they start to fall apart from the inside out. Almost every monster has very resilient skin because of this, and it takes a lot to penetrate through the hide or skin of most monsters. The dust, if the wound is closed up, eventually starts to regenerate and rebuild the body so long as the wound remains closed, and the process occurs rather quickly.

Thankfully, the doctors operating on her knew this. Either that, or they simply closed the wound not knowing what else to do.

Toriel was taken to see Sans and Papyrus, who were placed in the same room. They were both alright. Sans had a small crack in his skull, which Toriel left, but other than that he seemed okay. Papyrus lost one of his very back teeth when Asgore struck him in the face, but it was already beginning to grow back. They were both still sleeping. Toriel was taken to see Frisk. Frisk was alright, asleep as well. Frisk had gauzes across his face, covering several burns. The doctor said that Frisk had been burnt pretty bad, but nothing that isn't recoverable. It relieved Toriel to hear that.

Toriel wanted to wake Frisk up, to tell them how sorry she was. Tori raised her hand to look at her stubbed fingers. Frisk had always been a pacifist, and never wanted to hurt anyone, even if they hurt Frisk or others. Frisk was stubborn like that. Yet Frisk found it necessary to cut her fingers off. Why? Why didn't Frisk just run? Something wasn't right about this, Toriel knew that for sure. She felt it in her gut. Whenever she had a gut feeling, she was usually right. Sans jokingly called it her "mother instinct". After many years of taking care of human child after child, she knew how each tended to tick. Frisk wouldn't do that. But she pushed the thought in the back of her mind for now.

Lastly, the doc took Toriel to see Asgore. Walking down the hallway next to the doctor, she entered the room to her left and saw Asgore on the cot. Even from the view of the doorway, she could see that he was injured quite bad. His skin swelled up in multiple places on his face and had burns and singes on his fur.. Asgore was awake, and he looked at Tori and smiled.

"You are okay…" Asgore said softly.

"We managed to help him regain consciousness," The doctor explained to Toriel, "He had lots of glass shards lodged into his face and arms, which we managed to pick most of it out. The rest will have to come up on its own. We also managed to stop any internal disintegration from occurring further. He should be healed up and ready to go in a few days. He's tough, that's for sure."

"Thank you so much, doctor!" Toriel hugged the doctor for all the good work he and others have done. The doctor hugged back and then released.

"Doctor," Asgore called from the bed, "Have you heard any news about the mushroom creature who did this?"

The doctor looked at Asgore shook his head, "No, we haven't. I'm sorry… I must check with the other patients. I'll let you two talk." The doctor left abruptly, leaving Toriel and Asgore alone with nothing but the sound of the light beeping of medical equipment and a ticking clock above the door. Toriel approached the bedside and kneeled down.

Asgore smiled at her, then looked into her eyes, "None of this is your fault, Tori. Nobody will blame you for anything."

Toriel would usually despise Asgore for calling her Tori, but under these circumstances, she didn't care. She was just happy all of her friends were alright, including Asgore. Toriel looked into Asgore's eyes as well, and immediately felt warm and safe. It seemed proficient fire magic users could do that, and while Toriel and Asgore were still together, it was a frequent exercise of comfort and intimacy between them. The warmth was pleasant, and Toriel could sense nostalgia in her from it.

"Despite it all, I still care about you, Asgore." Tori responded, changing the subject.

"Even after all the disgusting things I have done?" Asgore seemed surprised by what Toriel had said.

"Yes," She confirmed, "Even after it all. I'm glad you're okay." Toriel instinctively reached over and held Asgore's hand with her good right hand. She didn't really know why she did that, but she held onto Asgore's hand, as if Asgore would die if she let go of him.

Asgore caressed his thumb on Toriel's hand affectionately while it was being held. For just a brief moment, her mind flashed back to the time Asgore was deathly sick in the Underground, when Asriel and Chara were still alive. Asgore held her hand and caressed it the exact same way, and the way he did it spoke to her. It said that everything would be alright, that nobody is going to be hurt anymore. Despite everything that has happened, that nostalgic feeling gave her comfort. She held Asgore's hand tighter. Again, under normal circumstances, she would probably slap Asgore for trying to show such affection, but Toriel felt she needed it from him. It was a while since she saw this side of him. For such a long time since after their release from the Underground, Asgore has simply been bitter and angry, at Sans especially. It wasn't like him to be like that, but Toriel leaving him took a serious toll.

For that period of time he held her hand, for once in a long while…. She wanted Asgore back. She had forgotten about the things he has done, and in place remembered all the happy memories they spent together. That moment seemed to last for so long, until Asgore frowned and realized what he was doing, slowly letting go of Toriel's hand shamefully. Toriel was disappointed, but she didn't bother to urge Asgore on.

As soon as Asgore let go, Toriel seemed to forget the happy memories a moment. No, she needed to get back to reality. Asgore was a murderer. A killer. He took her children away. She was glad he was okay, but that doesn't mean anything. It doesn't mean she forgives him. He is an unforgivable welp and didn't deserve that moment.

Toriel stood up, giving Asgore a quick forced smile, "I'm glad you're okay. I'm going to check on the others."

She walked out of the room, and didn't bother to look back at Asgore. She felt her eyes welling up, but she held them back with all her might. She stepped out into the hallway, and she noticed some men sitting in chairs that she hadn't seen before. She wasn't sure why this bothered her, but she supposed that paranoia was getting to her. She needed to see Sans. Toriel turned to walk, but she almost ran into the doctor.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" Toriel apologized.

"It's fine. Sans and Papyrus are awake. You can come and speak to them now."

Toriel quickly thanked the doctor and ran into the next room.

Papyrus was the first one to greet Toriel, and Sans, still exhausted (or just being lazy as usual) smiled at Toriel. Sans always seemed to have some sort of smile to varying degrees, but she could tell that Sans was happy to see her. Sans frowns very rarely, and when he does, he looks kinda scary, almost like it's unnatural for him to do so. Toriel hugged Papyrus, then hugged Sans.

"so, is asgore ay-okay?" Sans asked.

"Yes, he is," Toriel answered, "In fact, he should be recovered within the next few days."

"and you?" Sans' little white pupils directed themselves at Toriel. Her focus turned down to the floor shamefully.

"I hurt you, Sans. I tried to kill Frisk. I put everyone here."

"c'mon tori, don't be like that," Sans said, "you know you didn't have control of your actions."

"Yes, but… When you see yourself doing it, when you see your own hands do these deeds, it is hard not to think like that."

" _DON'T FEEL BAD, TORIEL!"_ Papyrus assured from the other bed, " _AT LEAST EVERYONE IS OKAY NOW."_

Sans nodded in agreement, "how is frisk?"

"Frisk will be alright, though he has burns on his face. Recoverable, but not sure how long it will take for full healing."

"alright. that's good to hear. i hope that-... tori!" Sans' countenance turned to a scary looking frown and he sat up in his bed, "what happened to your hand!?"

"Oh…" Toriel lifted her damaged hand, almost forgetting about it. It felt as though she could still move her missing fingers, like they were there the whole time; a ghost appendage extending from where they once were. Toriel hesitated to tell Sans, but Toriel knew it would be best if she spoke the truth, "Frisk did this. Out of self-defense."

Sans simply sat there, stunned for a few moments.

"so you're saying that frisk… _our_ frisk… did that to you?"

"Don't be angry, Sans." Toriel pleaded, though Toriel could see that Sans seemed more scared than angry. Sans was shocked, but he shook himself out of his daze and began to get out of the bed.

"i need to see frisk," Sans said, "right now."

" _SANS, YOU SHOULD LAY DOWN AND REST."_ Papyrus suggested

"He's right, Sans," Toriel agreed, "You should lay down."

"papyrus, tori, you guys don't understand," Sans argued, "frisk isn't being themselves,"

Toriel gave a confused expression. What was Sans talking about?

"Sans, what are you-"

A loud noise from the hallway interrupted Toriel. It was yelling, incomprehensible struggling, but Toriel could recognize one of the voices. Asgore! Toriel ran into the hallway and went past Frisk's room to see Asgore. The doctor got in Toriel's way,

"Stay calm, Toriel, don't panic-"

"What is going on!?" Toriel demanded. More struggling. Toriel pushed the doctor out of the way and entered Asgore's room.

The two men from outside earlier were now in the room, struggling with Asgore. One of the men was tying something onto Asgore while the yelling continued.

"Stop!" Asgore pleaded, "What are you doing!?"

"King Asgore Dreemurr, you are under arrest for the murder of Mayor Kaluza of Ebbot City."

"What?! I did not do anything!" Asgore stated firmly, "I did not kill him!"

Regardless of Asgore's plea, the policemen tied a rope around his beefy arms anyway, cuffing his arms to the bed.

"You have the right to remain silent," the other officer began with the Miranda Rights, "Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you. You can decide at any time to exercise these rights and not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand these rights that I have read to you?"

Asgore stopped struggling, and simply nodded.

"Having these rights in mind, do you wish to speak with us now?"

Asgore slowly shook his head.

"What is going on here!?" Toriel finally snapped out of her shocked daze. She attempted to approach the bed, but one of the officers slowed her down and stepped in front of her.

"Ma'am, please do not interfere. We have reason to believe that Mr. Dreemurr has committed a murder."

"I don't care what reason you have to believe it; you're going to listen!" Toriel looked at the officer straight in the eyes, "Asgore may have done some evil things, but he would NEVER actively go out and kill someone out of spite or for any reason unless he had no other choice!" Toriel pierced the officer's eyes with her own gaze. She wasn't sure why she defended Asgore so, but seeing him in cuffs made her feel defensive of him. "Now, I want to talk to my husband! Alone…" Toriel took a small breath and smiled at the officer, "Can you do that please?"

The officer hesitated a bit, but otherwise did as she asked.

"We will wait outside of the room…"

Both of the policemen walked out, giving Toriel and Asgore alone time. Toriel approached the side of the bed and looked down upon Asgore. It didn't make any sense. Asgore would never kill the Mayor. The Mayor was the only one Asgore ever trusted within the Human Government. Why would Asgore murder the only bureaucrat he could rely on? Toriel decided to look into it.

"Where were you last night, before you came to the house?" Toriel asked calmly

"I was at Undyne's and Alphys' apartment." Asgore answered casually, "Speaking of housing, our- I mean, your house- completely burned down last night. I do not think that the house itself is salvageable, nor is anything inside."

Toriel took out her cell phone,

"I know a teacher at school. Her brother is a lawyer. He's really good and he can help us out. Until a lawyer is with you, I don't want you saying a single word to police."

"Toriel?" Asgore asked like a child whom done something wrong.

"Yes, Asgore?" Toriel paused from dialing the digits into the phone.

"You believe me, right?" Asgore said, "I did not do it."

Toriel kneeled down next to Asgore's bed,

"Of course I do. Why would you think I wouldn't?"

"You have not believed in me up to this point. You already saw me as a heartless murderer. I can tell by the way you look and talk to me."

Toriel remained silent.

"Though, to be perfectly candid," Asgore continued, "You have the right to think that way of me. I have caused you nothing but misery, and I know that you will never be able to forgive me."

Toriel still stayed quiet.

"We have spent more years than I can count together," Asgore kept going, "I have made mistakes. And I regret them to the bottom of my heart. What must I do to earn your forgiveness? I would walk across a sea of razors for you, be tied of and beaten, even die for you. Even now, when you least believe in me, I would do it."

Toriel didn't know what to say next. She never considered ever granting Asgore forgiveness, but now it made her think of what Asgore could to do earn her forgiveness, to make reparations to the past. Was there anything Asgore could do?

"The longer you hold onto your hatred for me, the more we both will hurt," Asgore said. "I do not even care if you will be with me, but I need your forgiveness, for both our sakes. Can you forgive me? Toriel, I love you-"

"No you DON'T!" Toriel yelled, getting up and turning her back to Asgore. "If you loved me, you would have heeded my advice, and you would have not gone to war with humanity! If you loved me, you would have respected Asriel's memory rather than using it as an excuse to go to war!"

"I know, Toriel," Asgore replied calmly, "I was filled with hate when I made the choice, and full of fear if I were to crush the hopes of monsters. I put myself in that position, and my love for you was clouded by my hate for the humans and the desire for our freedom."

Toriel looked back at Asgore. She was going to say something, but the door behind her opened up. One of the officers were at the door.

"Ma'am, someone is here."

Sans appeared as the officer backed away.

"tori! thank goodness! frisk is awake! C'mon, let's go see him!" Sans went away.

Toriel gazed back at Asgore. He nodded in acknowledgement. Toriel walked away thinking on what Asgore said. Was it better she forgive him, or simply keep hating him? She would have to find out soon enough.


	11. Dear Reader

Dear potential readers/current followers.

I bring this message to you because, as you likely deduced from my lack of updates for **_more than six months_** , I have not been updating my stories.

This is due to a simple and important thing called "life"

Life happens and thus I must make room for it. Room that my fanfictions take up. So I will be suspending these fanfictions indefinitely. All of them. They will remain up for your reading pleasure but don't expect anything finished. There are several reasons for this decision:

1) School is more important than hobbies that I write on and off.

2) I've been working on an actual novel, and filling that time with fanfictions is a waste. I barely have time to write the novel as is. I have to cut things away somewhere. That starts here. I enjoyed these stories while they lasted, and I hope that my creativity and talent was well received and served the reader well (assuming I do indeed have creativity and talent).

3) Writing a novel that could potentially make me money is more valuable than fanfictions. When I start writing as a career I may try and revive old fanfictions for fun, but until that day comes I'm sorry to say that everything is now discontinued indefinitely.

Thank you for following my content. I'll update my account page with any information regarding other works should they pop up in the future. Right now I am focusing on a fantasy story.


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